Chapstick

You know the old saying- “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”? I found out how true this was recently. I am a chapstick girl. I always have it on hand and I use it regularly. I have for years. Well, this particular day, I was outside working with my husband. It was sunny but also very windy. We were doing dirty work. My lips were getting drier by the minute but I didn’t want to stop to go in and get my chapstick. I toughed it out, licking them when the dryness was unbearable.
Oh, boy, did I regret it that night. My lips were sun burnt, desert dry and oh, so, sore! It had been a long time since my lips had suffered so much. Out came the Vaseline. I slathered it on my mouth every time I thought of it. I did this for 2 days. My lips were still sore but I could use my regular chapstick by then. It actually took almost 5 days for the effects of my negligence to disappear completely.
I kicked myself several times for being so stupid! I knew better! What was I thinking? Then I began likening this situation to others in my life. How many times did I choose to not take the simple precautions that would have saved hours, days, even years of misery?
I started thinking of the other “chapsticks” in my life that I had been too busy or too preoccupied or too stubborn to have used. I remembered a car accident that put my entire family at risk because I ignored bad weather reports and didn’t head for home earlier as I should have. I knew better.
I remembered a physical attack that came to me as a young girl walking home on streets I shouldn’t have at a time I shouldn’t have. I knew better.
I remembered a time when I trusted someone against my better judgement and others advice. I shouldn’t have. I knew better.
My list goes on as probably yours could too. The price paid for not using my “chapsticks” was very high as it is in all of our lives. An ounce of prevention is always worth a pound of cure.
That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?